Eid-ul-Azha is the second largest festival of the Muslims and family members take this opportunity to share time in fraternity and exchange greetings with friends and neighbours ignoring busy work schedule of daily life. The Qurbani calls for renewed pledge from the people to be more committed to and imbibed with the spirit of sacrifice. It is not slaughtering animals only, the real spirit of sacrifice lies with slaughtering one’s own greed, lust and animality, which are endangering humanity. Sacrificing animals will have no meaning if one can’t abandon animalistic behaviours like killing fellow human beings or grabbing their belongings. The call for sacrifice therefore means giving away instead of amassing wealth illegally and robbing others as it is noticeable everywhere today. This is what the Eid-ul-Azha reminds us since the time of Prophet Ibrahim (AH) who had introduced the ritual to yearn the pleasure of Allah. Initially he went on sacrificing his son Ismail being ordained in a dream to sacrifice his dearest thing on earth, but at the last moment Allah became pleased with him and instead asked him to sacrifice an animal that started the ritual.
On this occasion we also must look back at the cruelty in many Muslim countries where leaders are torturing people and making them homeless. Corruption and greed of political leaders and powerful people are marginalizing the poor who have no power and protection to their life and property. We believe that the spirit of Eid-ul-Azha can only be established by ensuring social justice and equitable distribution of national wealth such as enforcing Zakat to cut back poverty. We also call for stop to civil wars in some Muslim countries, which are rendering millions of people homeless and the celebration meaningless.
Peace and stability all over the world needs change of social practice. We hope the occasion will rekindle people’s life with new hope and prosperity at all levels.
